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Perk Up Cafe offers brew, more at new dining spot in Bayonne

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PERK UP CO-OWNER Neil Bojarski, center, and John Nardone, left, explain to Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith how their new espresso maker works during a ribbon cutting yesterday at Bojarski and Ardoneâs new Perk Up Cafe at 317 Broadway, Bayonne. Below is one of the more eye-catching items on the menu -- the margarita focaccia, also known as an Italian-style pizza. The dish is a thick slice of focaccia bread, with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves on top.
(MIKE D'ONOFRIO JOURNAL PHOTOS)

One of the more eye-catching items on the menu at the Perk Up Cafe in Bayonne is this margarita focaccia, also known as an Italian-style pizza. The mouth-watering dish is a thick slice of focaccia bread, with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves placed on top.Mike D'Onofrio/The Jersey Journal

There’s a new brew in Bayonne.

Neil Bojarski, 39, and John Nardone, 29, are the co-owners of the the Perk Up Café, at 317 Broadway, which began grinding coffee at the beginning of April. On Thursday, Mayor Mark Smith and state Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell (D-31) cut the ribbon on the most recent business to move onto Bayonne’s main street.

“It’s a unique concept for Bayonne,” Bojarski said.

This is the place to be if you are an espresso lover. Bojarski uses freshly roasted, organic Arabica espresso beans and grinds them to order. You will be able to taste the difference on the first sip, Bojarski boasted.

But the café offers much more than a place to grab your morning joe.

The Perk Up Café serves up breakfast sandwiches, soups, muffins, bagels, wraps, fresh bread, and is also is a fully-stocked deli and salad bar.

One of the more eye-catching items on the menu is a margarita focaccia, also known as an Italian-style pizza. The mouth-watering dish is a “healthy” portion of focaccia bread, with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves placed on top.

And if you’re not in the mood for a meal, try a slice of the cheesecake or other pastries available everyday.

The welcoming café also has plenty of seating and tables for anyone to plug in their mobile devices and just hang out, Bojarksi said.

The mayor said he was impressed with the newest business owners to join the community.

“After coming here and meeting these two gentleman, I have no doubt this will be a great success,” Smith said. “Over the past five years, we’ve opened 111 businesses here ... and this is number 112 and I couldn’t be happier.”

Bojarski, a native of Jersey City, is a former haberdasher and managed a chain of clothing stores in Las Vegas, before moving back to east to nearby Livingston.

Nardone, also of Jersey City, has been working in the food business for years. He recently moved back to Jersey City from Los Angeles, where he worked at a family owned deli.

The two were able to combine their talents to open the café, Bojarski said.

“[Nardone] has been a deli man his whole life, ... and I’m the idea, concept guy,” Bojarski joked, “So he’s teaching me how to cut lettuce and I’m teaching him how to display it.”

While the prospect of owning his first business feels like a cocktail of excitement and nervousness, Bojarski said the café has been getting a “good response” so far.

F.Y.I.

Perk Up Café,

317 Broadway, Bayonne

HOURS: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. It will soon open on Sundays as well.

“We want people to come, hang out, enjoy themselves and get to know everybody,” Bojarski said.